JANICE HONEYMAN’S EXPLOSIVE NEW PANTOMIME – ROBINSON CRUSOE & THE CARIBBEAN PIRATES

This show is an explosive adventure with parrots, peg-legs and barrels of laughs.

Shows come and go all year round, and then there’s the annual Joburg Theatre pantomime, written and directed by the irrepressible queen of double entendre, Janice Honeyman.


Tanya Van Graan and Carlo McFarlane

With thrilling sword fights, hilarious comedy, a shipwreck, a sea monster, an abundance of comedy, flamboyant costumes and fabulous sets, Joburg audiences are in for a very special treat as they join the celebrity starts in this spectacular production.

Now, I’m not really going to detail the review of this show, except that, it’s one of those shows you just can’t afford to fail to watch. It is for the young and old, contemporary and traditional, common and elite, there’s honestly something about Honeyman’s productions that will make you change the way you look at South African stage works.




Judy Page and Carlo MacFarlane

 

However, I have a bone to pick with her as far as the casting is concerned. And this bone is not for her alone but, almost all directors that cast Carlo McFarlane as lead, especially in major musical productions. Carlo regularly struggles to hold any note, his acting is without emotions and too dramatic, he always messes up the choreography and this I say from his latest dreadful performance on the opening night for this year’s Panto. Ever since his role in Footloose as Ren, I have doubted his talent in theatre, especially when he has to combine all three (singing, dancing and acting). I hope Carlo is not part of the cast for next year’s Panto, Cindarella as I fear he will devastate everything.




Shaun Brian Murphy and Carlo McFarlane

 

Despite the Carlo situation, the show is out of this world even though, I still feel last year’s Pinocchio was much better and more inventive.

This year has more comedy than creativeness. There were moments where I felt like I was at a Marc Lottering stand up show featuring the cast from Robinson Crusoe and The Caribbean Pirates. The comedy goes on with hilarious scenes by Loise Saint-Clare as Zanilla Zillion; you know who that is in real life, right? Louise’s husband, Michael Richard kills the role of Beelzebub Bullybugger. He doesn’t even try for that, it just comes naturally, which I found very impressive.




Louise Saint- Claire as Zanilla Zillion

 

There are other names to this collaboration, such as Judy Page as the fairy, Bruce J Little as Jack Sparrow, where he literally appears 3 times on stage, a notable performance by Thokozani Nzima as Black Friday, Robin’s black friend and Ryan Flynn as Oesie Woesie. However, above everyone I’ve just mentioned, I was stunned by Kim Engelbrecht as Bobbin. I loved her singing, very clear, unlike the mumbling by McFarlane.



Kim Engelbrecht and Marc Lottering



It’s a shame we only have one pantomime a year, as I feel more than one would definitely add to the way South Africans view theatre. Honeyman’s pantomimes have a combination of reality, comedy and art which creates equilibrium of entertainment and culture.  Personally, I wonder how an oldie like her keeps up with the “here and now” because; she has it on lock down.

ROBINSON CRUSOE AND THE CARIBBEAN PIRATES is running on the stage of The Mandela Joburg Theatre till the 2^nd of January 2011. Tickets range from R191, R212, 242 and R278. Booking can be made at Computicket or by calling 083 915 8000. Discount for groups of ten or more is available.